24 Feb 2018

Doull encouraged by strong start to Classics

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Owain Doull

Owain Doull was pleased with his Opening Weekend performance at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad after recording his best Classics finish to date.

Doull just missed out on the top 10, coming home in 11th place after teammate Lukasz Wisniowski pushed on to finish second and kick off Team Sky’s Classics campaign in promising fashion.

The 24-year-old Welshman was a consistent presence at the front and said he had felt “comfortable” at the sharp end of the race.

Doull said: “I’m really happy with 11th. I wasn’t expecting it. I didn’t feel amazing today, so its quite reassuring to perform well when you don’t necessarily know whether you’re in that form.

“I felt pretty comfortable all day, to be honest. There weren’t points in the race where I was really struggling, it just felt like I was in control and able to respond when I needed to.

“I didn’t do Opening Weekend last year because I had my appendicitis and had come back from Australia, so it was a totally different way for me to start the year."

Owain Doull

It is reassuring and it’s a good place to be able to build from.

Doull is taking encouragement from his Omloop performance as he looks ahead to other challenges this spring.

“Of course it gives me confidence," he continued. "Last year I went to Abu Dhabi as my first race before I came here to do the Classics later on.

“I started at E3 Harelbeke and Gent-Wevelgem and I just took an absolute kicking! I barely finished any of them so to be in the race this time feels good.

“Compared to last year, I’ll also have 15 or 16 race days under my belt before the races like E3 and Gent Wevelgem even start. It is reassuring and it’s a good place to be able to build from."